


72 Hours

by stillnotovermylordsixth



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Memories, Regret, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-27 12:47:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16702873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stillnotovermylordsixth/pseuds/stillnotovermylordsixth
Summary: Kakashi had made peace with his own death. At least, that’s what he’d believed for many years.He’d always thought it would be Obito or Rin who'd appear before him as he died. Or maybe his father.So he found it equally comforting and agonizing that the one thing commandeering his final thoughts was Tenzo’s bright smile.(AKA the one where Itachi tortures the crap out of Kakashi)





	1. Chapter 1

Kakashi had made peace with his own death. At least, that’s what he’d believed for many years. 

He’d always thought it would be Obito or Rin who'd appear before him as he died. Or maybe his father. 

So he found it equally comforting and agonizing that the one thing commandeering his final thoughts was Tenzo’s bright smile.

Kakashi hung from a wooden cross, his arms bound tightly by the wrists. Sweat poured down his face as he suffocated under his mask. The world around him was dark, except for the crimson sky.

He was not sure how long it had been since his torture began. When he’d first fallen into Itachi’s genjutsu, he’d tried convincing his mind of the truth: it was all an illusion. The pain was not real, and he was not really dying. 

‘Calm down,’ he’d repeated to himself like a mantra. ‘None of this is happening.’

“It’s best not to be optimistic and think it’s an illusion,” Itachi had said evenly, reading his mind. “This pain is absolutely no different from reality.”

The swords held by multiple Itachis penetrated his abdomen again, tearing through his intestines. Excruciating pain ripped a cry from his throat as the blades twisted inside him. He passed out. 

......................................................................................................................

He woke up panting and drenched in sweat. His wounds had disappeared, and his blood-soaked clothes were clean. He’d lost count of the times the scene had repeated itself. As if mocking him, Itachi made him watch himself be impaled hundreds of times at once. He watched the same scene unfold before him as if looking through an infinite number of mirrors.

“In the world of Tsukuyomi, I control time and space,” Itachi explained, “as well as mass. For the next 72 hours, I will stab you continually with swords.”

Kakashi felt the metal pierce and rip at his insides by a hundred-fold and he screamed, his iron resolve completely shattered. He was definitely dying.

When he came to, he gazed weakly at the black water below him. Drops of his feverish sweat caused ripples to form on its surface, and he became entranced by the small waves.

“There’s 71 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds left,” Itachi announced.

‘What?!’ Kakashi winced. ‘That’s all the time that’s passed?’

The only other time he’d experienced pain of this magnitude had been as a teenager in the ANBU. On one occasion, he’d tried to prevent Orochimaru from escaping across the border, and he’d stumbled upon the Iburi, a clan of people who had the ability to transform themselves into smoke. Orochimaru had been using them for his own experiments and they remained loyal to him.

The leader of the Iburi had attempted to kill Kakashi in the most excruciating way: The Body Oxidation Jutsu.

During battle, Kakashi had inhaled the transformed smoke, and it had begun oxidizing each of his cells. His muscles had all contracted at once and his internal organs twisted grotesquely. His lungs had felt like they were being crushed from within, while every single one of his nerves scorched their paths throughout his body. As much as he’d wanted to fight, all he’d managed to do was scream bloody murder as he writhed and pulled at his hair on the ground.

That was the first time Tenzo had saved him. He somehow convinced the leader of the clan to let Kakashi live so that he could extract information from him. 

As soon as he’d felt the burning smoke exit his lungs, Kakashi had curled up into the fetal position and lost consciousness.

“Tenzo,” he sighed miserably, remembering.

He’d known for a long time now, that his feelings toward his kohai were not typical of a superior-subordinate relationship. It was completely different from anything he felt for his other juniors. Even the word ‘friend’ seemed to fall short somehow; it lacked the right sentiment.

Itachi’s eyes flickered subtly as he glowered at the tortured man before him. His apathetic voice echoed throughout the fake world. “I wonder how long your spirit will sustain.” 

Kakashi’s ragged breath was brutally forced out of his lungs again by the piercing of his flesh. He cried out in pain, and the concerned look Tenzo often gave him with his large almond eyes remained behind his eyelids as the world went black.


	2. Rain

Wheezing, he stared at the blood-red sky. The sinister, black clouds above him sparked a memory he’d tried to push to the back of his mind for a long time.

It had happened during a mission, several years after Tenzo had joined his ANBU team. 

Their target had been located, but they’d had to stake out for a few days, waiting for the ideal moment to strike. The mission had dragged on for a week longer than originally intended, and they were both weary. Tenzo offered to take the first shift so his senpai could get some much-needed rest. Kakashi felt a twinge of guilt but had been too exhausted to argue. 

He settled onto the mossy blanket of a massive tree branch, curling up on his side as Tenzo stood guard a few feet away. It was still early in the evening, but the dark clouds above made it seem a lot later than it really was. The soft pattering of the rain on the leaves lulled him to sleep so quickly that he hardly noticed the cold drops landing on his exposed shoulder. 

As he fell into a deep slumber, the recurring nightmare resurfaced. 

 

“Ka--kashi…” Rin’s wide eyes seared into his. 

Tears streamed down his face as he pulled his arm out of the hole he'd made in her chest. 

Except this time, she grabbed onto his arm and pulled him closer. Kakashi gasped in shock as her nails dug into his skin. 

“Murderer,” she hissed in his ear.

Instinctively, he pulled away, only to find that Rin had been replaced by Tenzo. His wide, doe eyes gaped at him as blood poured from his mouth. “S-sen… pai?” 

“No, no, no, no, Tenzo!” Kakashi whimpered, pulling his arm out of the hole in his kohai’s chest.

“Why, senpai?” Tenzo wheezed as he fell into his grasp. 

Kakashi trembled as he wept over his friend’s corpse. His fingers were frozen numb, and his breath fogged the air in front of his face. He couldn’t remember experiencing cold like this before. It crept into his bones and seeped into his veins, freezing him from the inside out.

Suddenly, the corpse clutched his wrist tightly. 

An inhuman screech escaped Tenzo’s bloody lips, “WHY, SENPAI?!” 

 

Kakashi’s eyes shot open as he sat up briskly. His heart thrashed about as he panted frantically.

He suddenly realized Tenzo’s face was right in front of his. His wide eyes mere inches from his own.

“Senpai?” he murmured quietly. 

He’d been trying to shake him awake. One of his hands remained on Kakashi’s chest and the other on his arm, as he crouched next to him. The close proximity had obviously startled him too, and a deep blush colored his cheeks.

“Are-- are you okay?” he stuttered.

The sight of a living Tenzo had gradually calmed Kakashi’s racing pulse. But now, he found himself staring at his kohai, whose face was closer to him than it had ever been. Had he always looked so endearing? 

The rain began to pour heavily, and the tree’s canopy no longer provided much cover. Tenzo’s dark hair matted over his happuri and some strands stuck to his cheek. His warm breath caressed Kakashi’s face and he couldn’t help but look down at Tenzo’s lips. He wondered what they’d feel like against his. Heat rose to his own face as his heart pounded furiously in his chest again. 

‘What is this feeling?’ 

He felt the strongest urge to cup his hand around Tenzo’s neck and pull him in. He wanted to taste his breath on his tongue and feel those soft lips moving against his. Their faces seemed to be drawing closer together by some hidden magnetic force. Tenzo bit his lip nervously and Kakashi’s breath hitched in his throat, nearly melting into his kohai. 

“Senpai?” Tenzo whispered as their noses brushed lightly against each other. 

Kakashi closed his eyes as drops of rain rolled off Tenzo’s nose onto his lips. 

A rustle of leaves from his left side alerted him and he managed to push Tenzo out of the way as he jumped far from the stream of shuriken that whistled past them. They both landed on their feet, immediately composed and ready to strike the enemy down. 

Once their mission was completed, neither of them ever mentioned the incident again.

‘I'm sorry, Tenzo,’ he shut his eyes tightly as regret filled his heart. ‘I should have told you how I felt.’


	3. Secretly Kindhearted

Kakashi recognized that there was darkness in Tenzo. It was necessary for their line of work as members of ANBU. 

His kohai was skilled and effective in battle; no one could doubt his abilities as an assassin. 

However, not many people would ever know how truly gentle Tenzo was. In fact, it was his benevolent nature that drew Kakashi to him. Sure, he was more than capable of being a ruthless killer. But the rest of the time, it almost seemed like he tried to make up for the fact by being thoughtful and generous to everyone he encountered. 

Kakashi knew it was Tenzo who intentionally filled his comrades’ food packs with his own rations when he knew they were running low, even if it meant he’d go hungry for the duration of the mission. It was always Tenzo who’d make sure his friends made it home in one piece after drinking binges when they could barely keep their heads above the table. And he knew it was Tenzo who’d wake up a few hours earlier on his days off to help the old women at the fish market with any heavy lifting they needed done before the market opened. 

He never did these things to receive their gratitude. He simply did it because that's the kind of person he was.

He’d also noticed that after every mission that ended in an assassination, Tenzo would isolate himself in the fields beyond the village border. Away from prying eyes, he’d hold a simple ritual in which he would plant a sapling and sit out there silently for hours. It appeared to be a kind of memorial service for those he knew would not receive a proper grave. Tenzo had never mentioned it, and Kakashi had never asked him about it.

Kakashi felt remorseful of the fact that he’d often taken advantage of Tenzo’s kind demeanor. For years, he’d made his kohai do all the unpleasant work, just because he knew Tenzo would never reject a request from his beloved senpai. 

Perhaps he’d also been a bit merciless with the teasing. He was aware that Tenzo had a bit of a crush on him, and he was so bad at hiding his emotions around Kakashi, that it was way too easy to get a reaction out of him. The image of his kohai’s wide eyes and the blooming color on his cheeks whenever Kakashi showed any kind of affection toward him was the most adorable sight he could think of. 

If he hadn’t been suffering so much at the moment, he would have smiled. The image of a flustered Tenzo brought some warmth to his heart, but it also made it ache. 

‘Will I ever see that face again?’ 

Itachi interrupted his musings with five blades to the gut. He glared down at him as he howled in anguish. He remained conscious this time. 

He gasped at the lingering agony as he bled out slowly. His parched throat burned with his labored breathing. A guttural cry escaped him as the blades twisted, and he internally begged for the darkness to come. 

It did not. 

Disoriented from the pain, he hung his head as his vision swam with hot tears. 

‘Why won’t he just kill me?’ 

He squirmed and huffed as the numerous Itachis slowly dragged the swords out of him. He scrutinized the callous man before him. 

Kakashi had thought he’d known the man’s character after spending roughly two years with him. But he’d been wrong. 

He recalled teaching Itachi the ropes when he first joined his team at age 11. He’d been the youngest member in ANBU history. Not that it took very long for him to prove that he belonged there. The boy was exceptionally talented, and his apparent lack of emotion made him a reliable assassin. 

But Kakashi had learned that he wasn’t completely heartless. 

The way Itachi was with his younger brother, Sasuke, proved that he had the capacity to love. His features automatically softened whenever he saw his little brother, and he often went out of his way to make sure he was safe. But that was not all.

Kakashi perceived a subtle kindness in Itachi, although it could easily be missed by unobservant eyes. 

He’d recognized it in the way the boy stopped to feed the stray cats around the village, and in his volunteering to help Tenzo with whatever disagreeable task Kakashi wanted him to take care of. 

It was also present in the way he made sure his executions were always as quick and painless as possible. 

Therefore, Kakashi had been completely blindsided when he'd learned that this secretly kindhearted boy had single-handedly annihilated his own clan. Could he really have judged his character so poorly?

‘What happened to you?’ he thought sadly.


	4. All You Think About

His torture dragged on for centuries.

There was no escape. The only glimmer of hope was that Itachi would keep his word and release him after the 72 hours. 

However, every time the scene repeated, he became more and more convinced that this was the end of the line for him. He would never see that lovely blush spread across Tenzo’s beautiful face again. Or the dazzling smile that melted his heart into a gooey pool of feelings. Why had he taken him for granted all those years? 

Tenzo had sought him out many times after he retired from the ANBU, but Kakashi had pushed him away. He restated the same excuse in his head for the millionth time. Tenzo was too good to be with someone like Kakashi. He was a precious gift to this wretched world, and Kakashi was poison incarnate. No matter how hard he tried to protect them, those who loved him eventually suffered the consequences for that choice. 

He knew he should have let go a long time ago, but he was selfish and held on to his feelings for his kohai. How could he possibly move on to the afterlife without telling him how much he meant to him? 

‘If only I could have seen you one last time.’

He hung his head in defeat. It was the end and there was nothing he could do about it. 

Suddenly, Tenzo’s voice echoed through his brain, repeating something he’d told Kakashi a long time ago: “When you’re alone, all you think about is dying… but when there are two of you, all you think about is surviving.” 

Kakashi had held onto those words. Keeping Tenzo safe had kept him going all these years. What if this wasn’t the end?

‘I would hold onto you and never let you go, Tenzo.’

He understood that they were not the same people anymore. It was entirely plausible that Tenzo held a grudge against him for the way Kakashi treated him all these years. But he didn’t care. If by some miracle of the universe he survived this, he’d confess everything to him. 

All he wanted now was to be by Tenzo’s side, to protect him and care for him. He’d never wanted anything so badly in his life. Even if Tenzo hated and rejected him, at least Kakashi’s heart could be at peace.

Just as he made up his mind, the world around him spun uncontrollably. He watched in horror as the sky above him dissolved into a blue pond and a painfully bright light blinded him.

He was staring directly into the sun. In his shock, he fell forward onto his hands and knees. He instinctively transferred just enough chakra into his limbs to keep himself from sinking into the water. He was back where he’d been centuries ago: on the river between Asuma and Kurenai. Itachi and Kisame stood before them, exactly as they had been right before he was forced into the Tsukuyomi. 

“Three days in there was only an instant here, huh?” He panted, willing himself to stay awake. 

“What happened, Kakashi?” Kurenai’s worried voice cut through his thoughts. “Should we still keep our eyes closed?” 

That’s right, she and Asuma had their eyes closed so they wouldn’t fall into Itachi’s genjutsu. Kakashi grunted a weak affirmative as his remaining strength left him. He faintly recognized Gai’s booming voice as he sank face-first into the water’s surface.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

He grimaced at the weight of his eyelids. Had they always been this heavy?

“Kakashi-sensei! Wake up already!”

‘Naruto?’

He gradually managed to pry his eyelids open to find himself staring up at a chesty blonde woman with a frown on her face. 

‘Is that… Lady Tsunade?’

“Finally!” Naruto yelled from the opposite side of the bed.

Kakashi tried and failed to make any kind of sense of the situation. He was in the hospital, which was not all that rare for him, but why was one of the Legendary Sannin at his bedside? And Naruto? He was supposed to be off training with Jiraiya. None of this made sense.

The beautiful woman beside him shook her head disapprovingly. “How disgraceful to be taken down by just two insurgents, Kakashi. And here I thought you were a genius.”

If he hadn’t been so exhausted, he might’ve felt a pang of shame. 

He had so many questions, but his body had other plans. He could feel his eyes closing again. 

‘Why am I so tired?’ 

“Sorry,” was all he could mutter before he fell into a deep sleep.


	5. Low Blow

It was completely quiet the next time he woke. His eyelids cooperated a bit more this time, although his mind was still hazy. The memory of Itachi’s torturous Tsukuyomi returned and he grimaced. 

“I wonder how long your spirit will sustain.” 

He realized it would probably be a while before he stopped hearing Itachi’s voice in his head.

Kakashi stared blankly into the lightbulbs above his bed. Itachi had kept his word. 

‘Maybe there’s still an ounce of humanity in him.’ 

He closed his eyes again and sent his gratitude out to whatever force had allowed him to live. His mind whirled with questions until he realized something strange. One of his hands was warmer than the other. 

He looked down for the first time and gasped. One of his hands was warm because it was being held by a sleeping Tenzo. 

His kohai sat in a chair next to Kakashi’s bed. His body slumped forward onto the bed and his head rested on his hand. Tenzo’s other hand was holding on to Kakashi’s. Although he looked peaceful, the bags under his eyes told of troubled times. 

‘He must have had a rough mission,’ Kakashi thought gloomily. He immediately wished he could absorb all of Tenzo’s worries. His kohai deserved to be happy.

Tenzo stirred and Kakashi’s heart nearly stopped beating at the adorable way his lips smacked together and his big brown eyes slowly focused on him. Pure joy filled his features as he realized Kakashi was staring back at him. 

“Senpai! You’re awake!” 

He took Kakashi’s hand in both of his and brought it to his forehead. 

“When you— I just…” he squeezed his eyes shut. “I was so worried,” his voice wavered. 

Kakashi’s heart broke as he realized he’d been the cause of Tenzo’s anxiety. 

“Tenzo,” he croaked. 

His throat was incredibly dry. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a drink of water.

Tenzo let his hand go to pour some water into a cup. He helped him sit up, supporting him gently as he pulled his mask down to take a sip. He practically moaned in ecstasy as the cool liquid flowed down his throat, finally quenching what felt like years of thirst. Tenzo chuckled at his reaction and refilled the cup two more times before Kakashi was satisfied. He eased him onto the pillows again. 

“Thank you,” Kakashi smiled at his kohai. 

Tenzo nodded silently, staring down at his hands. His face had returned to its troubled appearance. 

“I’m alright, now, Tenzo. You can’t get rid of me that easily,” Kakashi said, trying to lighten the mood. 

Tenzo buried his face in his hands and let out a loud breath. 

“You should go home and rest, Tenzo. You don’t look so good.”

His kohai scoffed, “You’re one to talk.”

Kakashi knew he probably looked exactly how he felt. “I’ve been out for a few days, though. You look like you’ve been up for a week.”

“A few days, senpai?” Tenzo’s head snapped up and his voice went up a few decibels. “You’ve been out for two weeks! If it hadn’t been for Lady Tsunade, you probably never would have woken up!” His face twisted into a painful grimace as the words left his mouth.

“Tenzo—”

“No! You shut up!” Tenzo shouted. Kakashi was taken aback by the outburst. He’d never heard his kohai raise his voice at anyone in anger, much less at him. 

“How could you be so careless! Is this your way of keeping your reputation as the formidable Copy Ninja? Are you really so arrogant that you’d seek a fight with Itachi? We both know exactly what he’s capable of! Never mind that he’s got, not one, but two Sharingan he was actually born to wield!”

‘Ouch.’ Kakashi’s already bruised ego took another hit. He’d never expected the low blow to come from his sweet kohai, though. 

‘Is that really what he thinks of me? That I’m trying to maintain a reputation?’

He wanted to explain that he’d been trying to protect his friends and things just got out of hand. But he doubted it would have made much of a difference. The damage was done, and he couldn’t negate Tenzo’s worry.

“I’m sorry, Tenzo,” he mumbled quietly.

Tenzo’s anger began to fade as quickly as it had appeared. He brought his hands to his face again before running them through his hair. He truly looked exhausted. 

“I’m sorry, too,” he sighed. “I just… I thought I’d lost you.”

Kakashi reached for his hand, making Tenzo jump and stare at him wide-eyed. His reaction was exactly what he expected, and it warmed his heart. Kakashi could not believe that after being stabbed an infinite number of times, he still got to look into the face he loved so much. He’d been given a second chance to make things right. 

He squeezed Tenzo’s hand gently, making the man blush and lower his gaze. 

“Will you read to me?” Kakashi signaled to the pile of books on the table by his bed. 

Tenzo grinned. “You’re fully capable of reading them yourself, senpai.”

Kakashi groaned dramatically and shut his eyes in mock agony. “Ugh, but the eye strain is so real! Please, Tenzo? I need to know what happens next.” 

He was fully aware that Tenzo knew it was bullshit. He’d reread his damn porn books dozens of times. So, he was pleasantly surprised when his kohai grabbed the book at the very top. 

“You want me to read THIS out loud,” he stated, annoyed.

Kakashi nodded eagerly, his exposed eye crinkling with his smile. He squeezed Tenzo’s hand.

With a defeated sigh, Tenzo flipped to a random page and glared at Kakashi before beginning to read. 

Kakashi could not have cared less for the story but relished the sound of Tenzo’s voice in his ears. It really was quite lovely. Though not nearly as lovely as the beet-red flush that overwhelmed his kohai’s entire face as he narrated the steamy scenes. 

Kakashi had to bite down on his lips the entire time to keep from bursting into howling peals of laughter.


	6. Dread

A week into his recovery, Kakashi was discharged from the hospital. He was still not cleared for duty, so he spent his free time lounging around his apartment with the ninken. They enjoyed having him around, and he preferred their company to that of any human. Well, except for one. 

His kohai had visited him every day at the hospital until he’d been shipped off for a mission, but he was due to return today and Kakashi could not hide his excitement. The ninken could literally smell it on him. 

“What’s with you today, Boss?” Pakkun inquired.

Kakashi shrugged, “Mm. I don’t know what you mean. But Tenzo comes back today,” he said nonchalantly. 

Pakkun saw right through the act and laughed, “Ah! Well, that explains your hormones going crazy!” 

‘Hormones!’ Kakashi’s face burned. Leave it to his spoiled ninken to make him feel like a prepubescent boy again. 

As evening fell, he made his way to his kohai’s apartment. He knew Tenzo often skipped dinner to go straight to bed after missions, but he couldn’t wait to see him, and dinner seemed like an innocent enough reason. The lights were off, but it made sense if he was in bed already. 

He knocked on Tenzo’s door, trying to stabilize his pulse. There was no answer. After waiting a minute, he frowned. Tenzo usually came to the door pretty quickly. Was he not back yet? 

He knocked again. No answer. 

He tried to ignore the wave of disappointment that washed over him. It was no big deal. He knew better than anyone that ANBU missions often went on longer than expected. He’d just try again tomorrow.

The next day, he stopped by Tenzo’s apartment with renewed excitement. But it soon became apparent that his kohai was still not home. 

‘The mission must have gotten complicated.’ 

He took a deep breath, fighting the fear that seized his heart. He shook his head. 

‘I’m being ridiculous. Tenzo’s more than capable of taking care of himself.’

A week and a half later, Tenzo was still not back. Kakashi was on the brink of full-out panic. It took all his self-control to not march up to the Hokage and demand to know where the hell his friend was. 

He drilled it into his head that it was not all that rare for missions to drag on. But he knew well that those missions often carried serious casualties. 

‘What if he’s injured? Or…’

He winced at the thought. 

He’d been given a second chance to make things right with his kohai and had been too much of a coward to say anything in the days that Tenzo visited him. He’d reverted to his old comfortable ways. 

‘Stupid, stupid, stupid.’

Why had he been so terrified of telling him? Surely Tenzo liked him at least a little. 

Clearly, he liked him enough to spend time with him while he was in the hospital. The man had read porn out loud to him, for goodness’ sake! 

But that did not mean he reciprocated Kakashi’s feelings. While he knew he had to confess, he couldn’t brush off the dread of Tenzo pushing him away, just like he had done to him. 

Regardless, he knew he had to go through with it. Tenzo could not die without knowing how Kakashi felt. It simply was not a possibility. 

‘But… what if he’s already dead?’


	7. Exposed

He made his way to Tenzo’s apartment for the 12th night in a row. His heart filled with dread at the sight of the dark windows. He knocked on the door, bracing himself for the distress that would inevitably follow.

To his shock, the door cracked open and his drowsy kohai peered out from within. 

“Oh, hi senpai,” he smiled weakly.

“Haaah!” Kakashi’s breath escaped him as relief punched him in the gut. 

Without thinking, he pushed the door open and pulled Tenzo into his arms, embracing him tightly. 

“Tenzo,” he breathed into his neck, cherishing the wonderful scent of petrichor that lingered on his skin. 

Kakashi couldn’t believe his luck. Despite the odds stacked against him, Tenzo had returned. He was not physically hurt, as far as he could tell. His kohai was back in one piece. Kakashi squeezed him tighter.

Tenzo stood stiffly in his arms for a few seconds before relaxing into his hold. 

“Um… what- what’s wrong, senpai?”

Kakashi realized too late that he was holding Tenzo in an extremely intimate embrace. He pulled away reluctantly and met his kohai’s wide-eyed gaze. 

“I… um… I’m just glad you’re back safely,” he smiled awkwardly.

Tenzo’s face fell a little, but his cheeks and nose bloomed with the familiar rosy shade. 

“Oh, um. Thanks.” 

Kakashi’s heart beat violently against his chest. He had to do it now, but he was at a complete loss for words. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Tenzo closed the front door. 

“Would you like some tea?”

Kakashi knew Tenzo needed to get some rest. He looked absolutely beat. His shoulders slumped, and his youthful face was dragged down by uncharacteristic worry lines. 

‘It must have been a rough one.’

He shook his head. 

“You need to rest, I won’t take too much of your time. I just… need to talk to you about something.”

Tenzo signaled for him to take a seat on the couch. He did as he was told and brought his hand up to his mask. For a brief moment, he hesitated. If he took it down, he’d be completely exposed.

But he knew he had to stop hiding. He had to show the sincerity in his words. 

Tenzo sat next to him, watching him closely. 

He slid the mask down. ‘How the hell do I start?’ 

Kakashi felt himself burn under his kohai’s gaze. After a minute of awkward silence, Tenzo spoke up. 

“What’s going on, senpai? You’re worrying me.”

“Um… I—uh,” Kakashi squirmed and cleared his throat. “Well, I just… wanted you to know something.” 

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this defenseless. Even while being stabbed for 72 hours, he was positive he hadn’t felt this vulnerable.

Tenzo waited patiently.

Kakashi took a deep breath and stared at his hands. 

“Tenzo, I think… I’m in love with you.”

He heard Tenzo’s breath catch. 

“No, I mean… I don’t think. I… know for a fact that I am.” 

He refused to meet his eyes, terrified of what he would find there. Instead, he blurted everything out before he had a chance to change his mind. 

“It started when I was your captain, and it’s only grown since then. It’s just… everything about you. Even after all you've been through, your heart remains pure. Every time I look at you, I realize that there's still some good in this world. It gives me hope that maybe someday, I can be good too.

I know we haven’t spent much time together since I retired, and it’s completely my fault. You deserved so much better and I pushed you away. I tried, Tenzo. I really tried to stop caring about you. But I was never able to let go of those feelings. 

I completely understand if you don’t feel the same way for me. So… please don’t feel pressured in any way…. I just thought you should know.”

They sat quietly for what felt like an eternity. Kakashi fiddled with his hands as Tenzo processed his words. 

“Wow,” he finally murmured. “You really are an idiot.”

Kakashi flinched. The heat in his cheeks spread all the way to his ears.

He felt Tenzo’s warm hand on his cheek, forcing him to face him. He reluctantly met his gaze.

“Kakashi,” he said softly, “I’ve loved you for so long that I can't remember when I started.”

Kakashi lost the ability to breathe as Tenzo leaned close enough for their noses to brush against each other, just like they had all those years ago. He closed his eyes, remembering the cold drops of water landing on his skin as his kohai breathed his name. His heart hammered away.

“My whole life, Kakashi,” Tenzo whispered, “All I ever wanted was you.”


	8. Without You

Kakashi felt warmth spread through his chest as Tenzo pulled his face at an angle and softly pressed his lips against his. He melted and parted his lips to breathe him in. Lord, he was delicious. Their lips moved just as he’d dreamt they would, countless times. A low moan escaped his throat as Tenzo’s tongue traced his lower lip. 

He nearly whined when Tenzo pulled away slowly. His thumb continued to caress Kakashi’s cheek as he smiled at him breathlessly. 

“You know, for a genius, you can be so dense sometimes,” he teased. 

“Mm,” Kakashi grinned, “So I’ve heard.”

Tenzo chuckled before kissing him again. The kiss was much shorter since he pulled away quickly, overwhelmed by a yawn.

Kakashi laughed. “Bored of me already?”

Tenzo blushed and rubbed one of his eyes. 

“I’m sorry, senpai,” he grinned, “I’m just so exhausted.”

“Rough mission?”

“Mm,” Tenzo nodded. “That’s quite the understatement. I wish I could tell you about it.”

Kakashi understood and didn’t press the issue. ANBU missions were strictly confidential. He simply nodded back, taking Tenzo’s hand from his cheek and pressing his lips to his palm. 

“I’ll come by tomorrow when you’ve rested.”

“No!” Tenzo nearly shouted. “Um… I mean… would you like to stay?”

Kakashi grinned mischievously, “Only if you’ll take advantage of me in the morning.”

“Senpai!” 

Satisfied by Tenzo’s adorably scrunched up face, Kakashi pushed himself off the couch and dragged his kohai after him to the bedroom.

He lay on his back and Tenzo crawled over to him, resting his head on his chest. Kakashi played with his short dark hair, feeling a hint of nostalgia for the days when it flowed smoothly down his back. 

“I miss your long hair,” he murmured.

“Mm,” Tenzo’s fingertips traced the muscles on his arm, “you weren’t around to brush it anymore.”

His tone was not harsh, but the words still stung. Kakashi sighed.

“Tenzo, I’m sorry for everything.”

His kohai looked up at him, confused. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m sorry for treating you so badly when I was your captain. I took advantage of your sense of duty, and made you do everything I didn’t feel like doing. And I’m sorry for abandoning our friendship when I left. 

I know I hurt you and I hate that it took 72 hours of torture for me to come to my senses. I should have told you how I felt about you sooner. Honestly, I don’t know how I could’ve lived with myself if you’d died during a mission without knowing how special you are to me.”

Tenzo’s face broke into a pained expression. “You were tortured for 72 hours?”

“Really?” Kakashi rolled his eyes. “That’s the part you focus on?” So typical of Tenzo to worry about anybody but himself.

“I’m serious,” Tenzo moved up to meet his gaze. 

“It was just a genjutsu. I’m fine.”

Tenzo studied his face somberly before his features softened again.

“Senpai, you have nothing to apologize for. You were an excellent captain. Everything I learned was because of you. I never did anything I didn’t want to do.” 

He frowned momentarily before continuing.

“It did hurt to lose your friendship, but I knew that ANBU was weighing you down. Leaving was the best option for you, and I’m glad you did it. I don’t know what those kids did, but you seem a lot happier now.

And… I wish I’d told you sooner, too. I was just terrified of what you’d say.”

Kakashi rolled onto his side so they could face each other. He pulled Tenzo close enough to rest his forehead against his and lightly traced the outline of his jaw with his thumb. 

“Tenzo, I know I’m an ass. But I don’t want to be without you ever again.”

“I agree,” Tenzo smiled his sunny smile, “you really are an ass.”

Kakashi smirked and leaned in to kiss him like his life depended on it. Tenzo wrapped his arms around him and kissed him back hungrily, his tongue welcoming him into his mouth. Eventually, they came up for air.

“You’re not going to let me sleep, are you?” Tenzo pouted.

Kakashi laughed, pulling Tenzo onto his chest again. 

“Okay, okay. I promise I’ll let you sleep.” 

He caressed Tenzo’s back as his heart nearly burst with happiness.

Tenzo hummed appreciatively before his breathing became deep and regular. Kakashi knew there was nowhere else he’d rather be. 

He felt justifiably resentful towards Itachi for the torment he’d made him endure, but a part of him was also grateful to the man. If he hadn’t suffered as he had, he may never have had the courage to come forward with his feelings.

He stroked Tenzo’s hair and breathed in his delightful scent. Once again, he sent out his gratitude to the universe for allowing this breathtaking man into his life.

He suppressed a chuckle as Tenzo began to drool on his chest. 

“I love you so much,” he whispered into his hair, “As long as you’ll have me, I’ll never let you go.”


End file.
